Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, DC 20554
In the Matter of ) ) Lifeline and Link Up ) WC Docket No. 11-42 Reform and Modernization ) ) Lifeline and Link Up ) WC Docket No. 03-109 ) Federal-State Joint Board on ) CC Docket No. 96-45 Universal Service )
REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION AND DECLARATORY RELIEF
On February 22, 2012, TracFone Wireless, Inc. ("TracFone") filed with the Commission
an Emergency Petition for Declaratory Ruling and for Interim Relief. That petition was
occasioned by the Puerto Rico Telecommunications Regulatory Board's ("Board") recent
directives to TracFone and to other Eligible Telecommunications Carriers ("ETCs") to de-enroll
from their federal Lifeline programs all Puerto Rico Lifeline customers identified by the Board as
"duplicates," i. e., persons enrolled in multiple Lifeline programs, and to prohibit such de-enrolled consumers from obtaining any Lifeline-supported service for specified periods, in violation of
Section 54.405(e) of the Commission's rules and the policies articulated by the Commission in its June 21 Order. I By public notice issued February 27, 2012, the Commission invited comment on that Emergency Petition.2
TracFone and other ETCs each received two directives issued by the Board -- one dated
January 30, 2012 (based on Social Security Numbers), the other dated February 7, 2012 (based on residential addresses). Those directives instructed ETCs to de-enroll all duplicates on March
I Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization, et ai, 26 FCC Rcd 9022 (2011) ("June 21 Order"). 2 Public Notice - Comment Sought on TracFone Wireless, Inc. Emergency Petition for Declaratory Ruling and Interim Relief, DA 12-295, released February 27,2012. 1,2012, and April 1,2012 respectively, and that such de-enrolled duplicates would be prohibited
from receiving Lifeline benefits for prescribed periods of time. 3
Several parties, including the Board, filed comments on the Emergency Petition and the
Board has announced various changes to its policies and procedures governing Lifeline in Puerto
Rico, including changes regarding de-enrollment and re-enrollment. Attached to the Board's
March 9 comments is a resolution and order issued by the Board on March 7, 2012.4 In the
March 7 Order, the Board revised its prior debarment of de-enrolled duplicates from receiving
any Lifeline-supported service for four months by allowing such de-enrolled customers to re-
enroll without waiting four months. However, such de-enrolled customers may only re-enroll in
the Lifeline program of the ETC to whose service the Lifeline "subsidy was first applied." In
other words, de-enrolled Lifeline customers could avoid the four month No Lifeline Service
penalty only if they re-enroll in the Lifeline program of the ETC from whom they obtained
Lifeline service first -- in virtually all instances, the incumbent wireline local exchange carrier.
Under the Board's requirements set forth in the March 7 Order, consumers de-enrolled on March
1 would lose their right to select their preferred Lifeline provider. Instead, that selection would
be made for them by the Board.
Moreover, the March 7 Order expressly forbade ETCs from sharing information about the
Board's changed policy with their de-enrolled customers. In the words of the Board, "[t]he
Board will be the only entity authorized to announce said resolution to the consumers, by the
3 Initially such de-enrolled duplicates were to be barred from receiving Lifeline support for one year. However, in a March 7, 2012 resolution and order, the Board revised that debarment period to four months. Subsequent to the filing of TracFone's Emergency Petition, the Board has issued a third de-enrollment directive on March 14. That directive instructs ETCs to de-enroll additional Lifeline customers on May 1,2012. The stated reason for the May 1 de-enrollments is failure to provide certain information, i.e., second last names and full 9 digit Social Security numbers. 4 In re: Universal Service Fund, Lifeline/Link Up, (Resolution and Order) Case No. JRT-2001- SU-0003, issued March 7, 2012 ("March 7 Order").
2 means it deems appropriate."s By its terms, the Board's March 7 Order, including the announced
changes regarding re-enrollment by de-enrolled duplicates and permissible communications with
such de-enrolled consumers was applicable only those consumers de-enrolled from all Lifeline-
supported services by March 1,2012 in accordance with the Board's January 30, 2012 directive.
The March 7 Order is not applicable to those de-enrollments which occurred on April 1 pursuant
to the Board's February 7, 2012 directive.
By this request, TracFone hereby brings to the Commission's attention more recent
developments which raise further questions about the Board's treatment of Lifeline consumers it
labels as "duplicates." Specifically, the Board now has sent notices to consumers who were de-
enrolled on March 1. Those notices are dated March 26, 2012 and are signed by Sandra E.
Torres Lopez, President, and by Ciorah 1. Montes Gierboni, Secretary. Those March 26 notices
appear to modify and contradict prior Board orders and directives. Attached to this request as
Attachment A are copies of the Board's March 26 notice in English and in Spanish.6
The Board's March 26 notice states, in relevant part, that " ... those who received the
communication informing them that their subsidy service would be suspended by March 1, 2012,
can immediately request, with the company of their preference, only one subsidy for wireline or wireless service per person, as long as they comply with the criteria for eligibility." (emphasis added). In addition, the notice informs consumers de-enrolled on March 1 that "if your wireline or wireless provider does not inform you correctly, you may visit the Telecommunications Board of Puerto Rico offices personally or you may request information by sending a letter to [the
Board]" (emphasis added).
S Id, at 2 (emphasis original). 6 Although TracFone has obtained a copy of the March 26 notice, it does not know to whom those notices were sent. Specifically, it does not know whether the notices were sent to all consumers de-enrolled on March 1 or to only some consumers who were de-enrolled on March 1.
3 By indicating that consumers may now request immediate re-enrollment with the
company of their preference, the Board's March 26 notice would appear to contradict the Board's
March 7 Order which expressly limited re-enrollment to the Lifeline service of the ETC who
served the customer first. Also, the notice's statement about contacting the Board if the
consumer's wireline or wireless company does not inform the consumer correctly seems to
suggest that wireline and wireless ETCs may communicate with their de-enrolled Lifeline
customers. That too would contrapict the March 7 Order which prohibited anyone except the
Board from contacting de-enrolled consumers. TracFone is aware of no resolution and order
issued by the Board which modifies the March 7 Order and does not know whether or not the
March 26 notice signed by only one Board member reflects a valid and legally binding action of the Board. Accordingly, it has no way of determining whether it may lawfully rely upon that
March 26 notice in operating its Lifeline program in Puerto Rico.
To the extent that the March 26 notice reflects a change in Board policy so as to allow each de-enrolled Lifeline customer to re-enroll immediately in the Lifeline program of his/her preferred ETC, that would be a positive development. So too would the Board's apparent recognition of ETCs' right to communicate with their de-enrolled customers -- a right which the
Board purported to deny ETCs in its March 7 Order. However, the March 26 notice raises many questions which need to be clarified.
First, to what categories of de-enrolled Lifeline customers do the changes set forth in the
March 26 notice apply? By its terms, the notice refers only to those consumers who were de enrolled by March 1, 2012 (i.e., those identified in the Board's January 30 letter). The notice does not reference either those consumers who were de-enrolled on April 1 as required by the
Board's February 7 letter, or to those consumers subject to the March 14 letter from the Board who are to be de-enrolled by May 1. Those latter two categories appear to remain subject to the
4 Board's mandatory debarment period of either four months or one year. In addition, nothing to date issued by the Board indicates that those consumers who were de-emolled on April 1 (as directed by the Board's February 7 letter) and those consumers who are to be de-emolled on May
1 (as directed by the Board's March 14 letter) will be allowed to re-emoll either immediately, after four months, or at any other time, in the Lifeline program of any ETC other than the ETC who first provided the consumer with Lifeline-supported service.
Furthermore, TracFone brings to the Commission's attention the prefatory language in the second paragraph of the notice: "For this and other reasons not attributable to consumers . ..."
What is not attributable to consumers? That consumers were emolled in multiple Lifeline programs? The implication of this statement is that duplicate emollment is attributable to someone else. Is the Board referring to ETCs? If so, which ETCs? Implicit in that statement is an assertion that ETCs, including TracFone, have done something improper in violation of law.
That seems to be what the Board's notice is communicating to consumers. TracFone cannot comment on the conduct of any other ETCs, but it can represent to the Commission that on all occasions it has operated its Lifeline program in Puerto Rico and all other states where it is an
ETC in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and conditions of ETC designation.
Indeed, TracFone's emollment practices and procedures were presented to and described in detail to the Board during its 2010 ETC designation proceeding and those practices and procedures were approved by the Board.
Also, what is the legal status of the Board's March 26 notice to customers? It contradicts prior Board orders in two important respects -- it indicates that some de-emolled Lifeline customers (i.e., those who were de-emolled on March 1 pursuant to the Board's January 30 de emollment directive) may re-emoll immediately in the Lifeline program of their preferred ETC; and it implies that ETCs may communicate information regarding re-emollment to their de-
5 emolled customers. Since this notice to customers contradicts requirements and prohibitions set
forth in prior Board orders, including the March 7 Order, to what extent may TracFone or any
other ETC rely upon the March 26 notice? Does a notice issued under the signature of the
President of the Board which contradicts a prior resolution and order voted on and issued by the
entire Board take precedence over the contradictory Board order? Nowhere has the Board
provided any explanation for or answered these questions. Neither ETCs nor consumers should
be left to guess which actions are official Board actions upon which they may rely.7
More importantly, what will happen to those duplicates? As suggested by the March 26
notice, ETCs may now re-emoll their March 1 de-emolled customers and may contact their
customers to invite them to re-emoll. If this is so, then it is probable that those duplicates will
receive re-emollment invitations from both ETCs with whom they had been enrolled prior to the
March 1 de-enrollments. What processes, if any, does the Board have to prevent such duplicate
enrollment from recurring?
On February 17,2012 at an open meeting of the Board, TracFone presented a solution to
the Board. It proposed that the Board utilize the Interim Duplicate Resolution Process ("IDRP")
established by the Commission in cooperation with ETCs and memorialized in the Commission's
June 21 Order. Pursuant to that process, duplicates would receive letters notifying them that they
are enrolled in multiple Lifeline programs, that they are allowed one -- and only one -- Lifeline- supported service, and that they were being assigned to one of the ETCs to which they were emolled. The consumers would then have 35 days to select the ETC other than that to which they had been assigned. Once the customer's selection was made, the consumer would be de- enrolled from the Lifeline program of the ETC not chosen. That ETC would no longer receive
7 Given the Board's stated intent to impose substantial monetary penalties for perceived violations of the Board's Lifeline rules, neither TracF one nor any other ETC can afford to guess wrong.
6 Lifeline support for the de-enrolled customer. This process has worked well in the states where it has been used. Consumers are notified that they are enrolled in multiple Lifeline programs in violation of Commission rules, that have their choice of provider, and are prevented from remaining enrolled in multiple Lifeline programs. Unlike the Commission's IDRP process, the process which seems to be contemplated by the Board's latest notice does not appear to have any safeguards to prevent duplicate enrollment recurrences. Indeed, the Board's failure to establish a duplicate de-enrollment process which contains safeguards to detect and prevent duplicate enrollment makes it appear that the Board's focus is on punishing ETCs and penalizing consumers rather than on preventing the occurrence of duplicate enrollment.
In considering this request for clarification and for declaratory relief, the Commission should be aware of yet another recent development. On April 2, 2012, the Board issued another resolution and order. 8 A copy of the April 2 Order and an English translation of that order are attached hereto as Attachment B. In the April 2 Order, the Board imposes monetary fines against various ETCs, including TracFone, for allegedly providing incorrect and incomplete customer information. The missing information which occasioned the Board's fines includes second last
9 name and full Social Security Number. 10 Moreover, in the April 2 Order, the Board directs
8 In re: Universal Service Fund, Lifeline/Link Up, Case No. JRT-2001-SU-003, issued April 2, 2012 ("April 2 Order"). 9 In Hispanic cultures, it is common for persons to have two last names -- one from their mother's family, and one from their father's family. In response to the Board's revised rule, TracFone now requires applicants for Lifeline service in Puerto Rico to provide two last names. It has also incurred significant and expense to obtain second last name data for existing customers and has been partially successful in doing so. However, as TracFone has explained to the Board repeatedly, obtainment of second last name information for the entire existing Lifeline customer base is virtually impossible since most available databases do not include that data. 10 The revised Lifeline rule promulgated by the Board on an emergency basis on October 21, 2011 requires consumers to provide full 9 digit Social Security Number information rather than last four digits as required by the Commission and by most other states. When TracFone was designated as an ETC in Puerto Rico and commenced Lifeline service, it was only required to obtain the last 4 digits of applicants' Social Security numbers. Although TracFone now requires
7 TracFone and all other ETCs either to produce the complete information for those customers by
April 30 or be subject to additional penalties. As if that were not enough, by the April 2 Order,
the Board threatens to revoke the ETC designation as well as operating authority of carriers who
do not provide the required information for existing customers or de-enroll those customers.
Obtaining second last names and full nine digit Social Security numbers does nothing to
enable any ETC to detect and prevent duplicate enrollment. At no time has the Board in any
resolution and order or in any meeting with ETCs ever offered an explanation of what fraud
prevention benefit, if any, obtaining second last name and full nine digit Social Security numbers
would achieve. In the absence of any articulated reason for requiring such information, there
appears to be no reason why the Board would require it other than to facilitate de-enrollment of thousands of qualified low-income Lifeline-eligible consumers and a trimming of the
Commonwealth's Lifeline rolls.
TracFone has approximately 30,000 Lifeline customers in Puerto Rico who will be affected by the Board's April 2 Order. It will have to de-enroll all 30,000 of those customers or risk further sanctions, including revocation of ETC designation. Amazingly, the Board's stated reason for this draconian action is to limit disbursements from the Puerto Rico Universal Service
Fund. TracFone does not receive support from the Puerto Rico fund. It has never asked for such support and has no plans to do so. Yet, it is being forced to de-enroll 30,000 qualified low- income households or lose ETC designation for the ostensible reason of saving money from the
Puerto Rico fund from which it has never received a single dime!
Based on the facts described herein, the conclusion is inescapable: the Board's objective is to limit disbursement of money from the Puerto Rico fund to support Lifeline in Puerto Rico applicants for Lifeline service in Puerto Rico to provide full 9 digit numbers (and second last names), it is impossible for TracFone -- or any other ETC -- to obtain that information for existing customers.
8 without regard to the impact of those efforts on the availability of affordable telecommunications service to those low-income households who qualify for and are dependent on Lifeline support.
In addition, the Board's "gotcha" strategy of promulgating unnecessary and unworkable rules, adopting and changing its positions on Lifeline eligibility, de-enrollment, and re-enrollment every few weeks and punishing those ETCs who provide service in good faith and do their best to comply with these unworkable, arbitrary and ever-shifting requirements accomplishes nothing except to limit, and perhaps ultimately eliminate, choices of Lifeline service in Puerto Rico.
Moreover, if the Board's stated basis for this approach is to limit disbursements from the Puerto
Rico USF, on what basis does it accomplish that objective by taking punitive actions against
ETCs who take no money whatsoever from the Puerto Rico USF? The Board has never provided an answer to that question. II
CONCLUSION AND REQUEST FOR RELIEF
As described herein and in prior filings, the Board, in its zeal to eliminate duplicate enrollment in Lifeline programs in Puerto Rico, has required that such duplicates be de-enrolled from all Lifeline-supported programs and has prohibited such de-enrolled duplicates from receiving any Lifeline-supported services for specified durations in violation of a codified
Commission rule. Faced with a legal challenge to the lawfulness of those actions and objection from many parties,12 the Board has on multiple occasions modified its treatment of duplicates -- or at least its treatment of some duplicates. As a result, there now appears to be one Board policy
II Ironically, the Board's actions taken against TracFone undermine its stated goal of preserving Puerto Rico Universal Service Fund resources. Every Lifeline customer enrolled by TracFone is a customer who receives Lifeline benefits without any money being disbursed from the Puerto Rico fund. 12 Comments objecting to the Board's punitive and discriminatory Lifeline de-enrollment policies were filed with the Commission by other ETCs -- T-Mobile USA, Inc., Sprint Nextel, PR Wireless, d/b/a Open Mobile, and Puerto Rico Telephone Company, and by consumer advocates including the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates and a broad-based coalition of consumer and low-income advocacy groups led by the National Consumer Law Center.
9 regarding those consumers who were de-enrolled on March 1, and a very different policy for those consumers who were de-enrolled on April 1 and who will be de-enrolled on May 1.
Furthermore, there is even uncertainty as to what policies and requirements will govern those who were de-enrolled on March 1. Are those de-enrollments governed by the March 7 Order or by the contradictory March 26 notice?
Given this confusion and its resulting adverse impact on the availability of Lifeline service in Puerto Rico, TracFone respectfully requests that the Commission, in its capacity as the primary administrator of the federal Lifeline program, direct the Board to clarify what requirements governing de-enrollment of duplicates, subsequent re-enrollment of previously de- enrolled customers, and permissible communication between ETCs and consumers are applicable to all de-enrolled customers.
In addition, TracFone respectfully requests that the Commission issue a ruling declaring that all state policies, practices and procedures governing duplicate enrollment in Lifeline programs supported by the federal Universal Service Fund ensure that all consumers receive notification that 1) they may only receive one Lifeline-supported service, 2) that they will be de- enrolled from all except one such service, and 3) that they must be afforded a choice of which
Lifeline-supported service to receive.
Respectfully submitted, ~S'INC.
Mitche . Brecher GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP 2101 L Street, NW Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20037 (202) 331-3100 Its Attorneys April 10, 2012
10 Attachment A NOTICE
Important information regarding lifeline benefits
By the end of February 2012, telephone service companies announced to some of their customers that they would lose the Lifeline subsidy by March 1rst 2012, because a duplicity of subsidy was identified, as per the information obtained by the Telecommunications Board directly from the telephone companies. The analysis of most of the claims presented before the Telecommunications Board by beneficiaries, reveal that a lack of information has impaired regarding the lifeline subsidy. This has caused that many people have received more than one benefit, contrary to what is established by law and regulations related to Universal Service Fund.
For this and other reasons not attributable to consumers, on March 7, 2012, the Telecommunications Board of Puerto Rico issued a Resolution and Order, that leaves in suspense Rule 14.9 (a) of the Provisional Amendment to the Universal Service Resolution applicable to those persons identified as having more than one subsidy under their Social Security number. In consequence, those who received the communication informing them that their subsidy service would be suspended by March 1, 2012, can immediately request, with the company of their preference, only one subsidy for wirelive or wireless service per person, as long as they comply with the criteria for eligibility.
If any doubts or questions should arise or if your wirelive or wireless company provider does not inform you correctly, you may visit the Telecommunications Board of Puerto Rico offices personally or you may request information by sending a letter to:
500 Ave. Roberto H. Todd (Parada 18 Santurce) San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907
You can also receive information in our website: www.jrtpr.pr.gov. or if you prefer you may contact us at the following phone numbers 787-722-8606 or 787-756-0804 ext. 3012 .
.' ,. In San Juan Puerto Rico today March 26, 2012
signature signature Sandra E. Torres Lopez Ciorah J. Montes Gierbolini President Secreta ria
Authorized by the States Election Committee: CEE-SA12 GOBIERNO DE PUERTO RICO JUNTA REGLAMENTADORA DE TELECOMUNICACIONES DE PUERTO RICO
AVISO ...----_.--- .. --_ .. _------... ---_ ..... ------_ ..... --...... _-_ ..... _._-_ ......
INFORMACION IMPORTANTE 80BRE BENEFICIO LIFELINE
A finales de febrero de 2012, las compaiiias de servicios telef6nicos informaron a varios de sus clientes que perderian el subsidio de Lifeline a partir del l ro de marzo de 2012, por haberse identificado una duplicidad de subsidio, seg6n la informacion suministrada por las propias compaiiias a la Junta Reglamentadora de Telecomunicaciones.
EI examen de muchas de las recJamaciones presentadas ante la Junta por los ciudadanos, revelan que ha imperado una falta de informaci6n en cuanto al subsidio Lifeline. Esto ha llevado a que muchas personas recibieran mas de un beneficio, contrario a 10 establecido en las leyes y reglamentos relacionados con el Fondo de Servicio Universal.
Por este y otros motivos, no atribuibles a los consumidores, el 7 de marzo de 2012, la Junta Reglamentadora de Telecomunicaciones de Puerto Rico emiti6 una Resoluci6n y Orden, mediante la cual deja en suspenso la RegIa 14.9 (a) de la Enmienda Provisional al Reglamenlo sobre Servicio Universal apJicable a las personas identificadas con subsidios dupJicados bajo su seguro social. En consecuencia, las personas que recibieron la comunicacion suspendiendole el subsidio para ellro de marzo de 2012. pueden volver a solicitar inmediatamente. con la compaiiia de preferencia. un solo subsidio para servicio a1ambrico 0 inalambrico por persona, siempre y cuando cumpla con los criterios de elegibilidad.
De tener alguna duda 0 de entender que la compania proveedora de servicios no Ie orienta adecuadamente, puede acudir a la Junta Reglamentadora de Telecomunicaciones de Puerto Rico, mediante visita personal 0 carta dirigida a nuestra direccion:
500 Ave. Roberto H. Todd (Parada 18-Santurce) San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907·3941
Tambien puede orientarse a traves de nuestro portal electr6nico: www.jrtpr.pr.gov; 0 llamando al 787-722-86060787-756-0804 ext. 3012.
En San Juan, Puerto Rico, hoy 26 de marzo de 2012.
(~C. 4 . G"I . Secretana-
Autorizado por la Comisi6n Estatal de Elecciones: CEE-SA-12-__. Attachment B [CERTIFIED TRANSLATION]
COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO TELECOMMUNICA TIONS REGULATION BOARD OF PUERTO RICO
IN RE: CASE NO.: JRT-2001-SU-0003 FONDO DE SERVICIO UNIVERSAL LIF'ELINE/LlNK UP
The instant Resolution and Order reiterates the obligation of eligible telecommunication companies (ETC) of strictly complying with the requirements of the repor1s imposed uncler Regulation Number 8093, Provisional Amendments to the Regulations Oil Universal Service (Regulation 8(93), and imposes fines for the non compliance of these requirements.
Hilclq~round
As is wdl known by all the ErCs, this Board has issued several orders. related to the Lifeline program in Puerto Rico, in such a way that we can comply with our duty to oversee the resources that arise h'om the Universal Service Fund of Puerto Rico'. The afore mentioned to lend to the problem of" duplicate and triplicate" beneficiaries.
'fhe abovementioned situation is so grave that it moved thc Governor of Pucl10 Rico, thc Honorable Luis G, Fortuno Burse!. to certify a slate of emergency in the Lifeline program, on October 20, 2011, so that thc Provisional Amendments to the Regulatiolls on Universal Scrvice had all immediate application under Section 2.13 of'the Uniform Administrative Procedure, 3 L.P.R.A. § 2133'.
J Through Act No. 213 of September 12, 1996, as amended, 27 LP.R.A. § 265 et seq (Act 213), the Telecommunications Regulation Hoard of Puerto Rico (Hoard) was created and it expressly is in charge, regarding universal service: 1) recognize telecommunications service as one whose service follows the highest public interest, within a competitive market; 2) ensuring that universal service is provided at a fair, reasonable, accessible cost for all citizens; 3) distribute equally among all telecommunication companies the obligations, responsibilities, and burden assigned to the development and conservation of universal service; 4) establish specific support mechanisms, predictable and sufficient to conserve and develop universal service; 5) providl' access to telecommunication service, reasonably compared to the ones provided in urban areas, to consumers in all the Island. including those with low income and those who reside in rural areas or in areas in which access to stich sCI'vices is (Ostly, vcrifying that t.hose services are available in all of Puerto Rico, at il fair ilnd reasonahlf' price, 27 L.P,R.A. § 265. Z When looking at the information in detail, we noticed that in sOllie instances, two or three benefits have been registered under one same address or one sam(: social security number. This irregularity in rendering services and obtaining of subsidy, is called duplicate and/or triplicate and, ultimately, what IS reflected is that illegible people are benefiting, through fraud and possibly negligence of the telecommunication companies, whom have provided eligibility to people against the Law and applicable regulations. 3 Several ETCs had appeared to the Court of Appeals (in cases; KLRA 2011-0776; KLRA 2011-07BO; KLRA 2011- 0900; KLRA 2011-0905; KLRA 2011-0906; KUlA 2011-01104; KLRA 2011-01107; KI.RA 2011-01111; KLRA 2011-0111], and KU The second [{esolution and Order from lanuary 27. 20J 1, began some overseeing and audit proceedings for all the ETCs, as provided in Section 14.1 (c) of Regulation 7"7956 to verify the compliance with the application of tlw [CERTIFIED TRANSLATION] JR'r·200 I·SU·()OOJ 201204 RO Pagl: 2 of I) The ETes continue in non compliance with their obligation to file and/or file reports in the form and manner ordered. We reiterate thaI Section 14.10 of the Provisional Amendments to the Regulations on Universal Service, states: 14.10 Lifeline Service Reports a) 'fhe designated ETC companies must maintain the Board inforl11c;d on the numbc;r of subscribed llsers of the Lifeline service. which they will do pursuant to the Administrative Orders that this Board, from time to time issues, in which the Board will identify the content of the information to be submitted, its time frame, and any other detail the Board deems relevant. Provisionally, unless the Board through an Administrative Order modifies it, the data requirement will be: • 'rhe list of beneficiaries of the program will be presented to the Board, using any of the following electronic methods: CD or DVD. • The list will contain the information in a text format, tab delimited and ANSI encoding. • The name of the tile will be comprised of the following data: I. number of ETC of the Board in #### format; f()lIowed by 2. period of the data in yyyymm (year and month) format; followed by: 3. version in ## formal; t()llowed by 4, extension ",txt" Examplc:OO 1520 11090 I.txt • When two companies or operations share the same ETC nllmbcr, the Board will assign a symhol1o differentiat(· the information contained, • The order and name ill the information fields within the file \\ill without exception, the following: initial eligibility requirements, the subsequent annual verification of the beneficiaries of the Lifeline and Link, Up programs, and the practices of withholding documents, The second Resolution and Order from July 13, 2011 cemented the already existing rules, through our Regulation 7795 and other orders of this Boarcl, and adopted other rneClSllres that achieved the stability of thl~ Universul Service Fund, Among the measures adopled, there was the creation of a centrali'l.:ed data base, to be managed by the Board with the information supplied by the ETCs and the requirements on reports, its content, format, and the date of delivery, designed to minimize and solve the alarming incidence of duplicates of beneficiaries, that goes against the stability of the public Fund, On December 16,2011, the llonorable Court: of Appeals, issued a jUdgment, in which it dismissed all the appeals for administrative review filed by the ETes, because it understood they were moot, in light of the enl('rgency certification issued by the Governor and it stated that Regulation 13093 would apply immediately, undl'!" Sectioll 2,13 of the UAI', 3 L.P.ltA, § 2133, [CERTIFIED TRANSLATION] JRT-200 J -SU-0003 2()12()·j 1<.0 I'll)!': 3 of 6 '·------.. l<1e~~·~.~~=_~~~~~l==~~===:-~~~i.~=-:~:~:==:~r-~=~~!i££=~====·1 Social Security , 9 , Char -l ~j~~£Last Na~c------+~-~m-{~---·--·-+------~::~------j I-----'---=-=--'---~:--'------+--.. -· ---.-----.-----.------1 ._~~£OJl~__ ~~s~_!'la!l.!.C?_ ._ ... __ ._j ______lJnt~1 ~-L_-.-.-4- Char i I-'-::.:.::..:c:..::...:..c:.::..-=------.----+-.---.-Address 1 i Until 70 ,i --.. ----.-.-.-----.....Char ---.------.-.. ---.-..... ,I i f--.:..:::.:.::..:""--"=-=------Address 2 .. -.-.. --+----.-----: Until.. ------j 70 i...... ------..Char -.1 f--.=C..:.ity:.c.:...I/ T;:..o::..VI:.:..'::.:n __.____ -+i ___-'U:...;:n:;:;tc;::iI:...;:2::.::0=--. _-+____ f.!!~_~___ . ____ j I--Z...Jil... )_C_'{_}d_c ______L-. 9 (no dash) i Char __ ~ " Subscription date ! 8 I Char i ! I , (Year/Month/Oal) ~----_--_._-.-.----.... - ._. _____ .__ L_-C::.Y-=..Y.yyMMOD ~-----.-- 1_<::;_()!.l!!·!?!_~~(I_~_. 9 . Char The fields of "Address 1", "Address 2", "City/Town" and "Zip Code" will be exclusively the physical address of the beneficiary. b) It is advised that the Board will only accept one CD or DVD per company or operation. Likewise, it is advised that the Board will proceed to return the CD or DVD that is not in compliance with the previously required. c) In addition, the E'rCs will submit all annual report, no later than March J 1 of each year, identifying the total number of clients subscribed to the Lifeline program, in thc prior natural year. d) The Bmlrd will reject any registration that is incomplete, incorrect or 'hut docs not complv with the requirements of format previously stated, to achieyc the reliability of the information that populate the uniform database of the Board. e) The Board will identify that information of a beneficiarv that is incomplete, incorrect or that does not comply with the format requirements previously stated, and will notify the respective ETC so it can obtain it, in a term that will not t~xceed the thirty (30) days, beginning on said notification. If the lack of information is not (~urcd within said term. the benefit for said c1icnt will be immediately terminated. Not withstanding the above mentioned. Puc110 Rico Telephone Company, Inc. (PRO, and its wireless operation, Claro, Tracfone Wireless, Inc. (Tracfone) and AT&T Mobility Pue110 Rico_ Inc (AT&T) submitted its CDs with corrections on December 20 II with incomplete and incorrect data, onee again PR Wireless, Inc. aka Opell Mobile (Open Mobile) presented its corrections CD of the same period, late and incomplete. Sprint Com, Inc. aka Sprint pes simply did not present its corrections. [CERTIFIED TRANSLATION] JRT-200 I-SU-0003 :!01204 RO Page 4 01'6 Discussion Section 13 of the Regulations on Universal Service, Regulation Number 7795 (Regulation 7795) and our Orders from January 27, July J 3, 20 II, and January 24. 2012 notified without a doubt that the non compliance with the obligations of filing andlor filing correctly and completely would entail administrative sHnctions. pursuant [0 Seuion 1 c) of Regulation 7795, among with were, without it being unckrstood as a limitation: (i) revocation of' the certification to provide telecommunications services in Puerto Rico: (ii) revocation of the designation of eligibility: e (iii) imposing of daily tines until twenty five thousand dollars per violation, as provided in Article [)-7 of Act 213 lI'om September 12,1996, as amended, 27 L.P.R.A. § 267f(b)( lyl 'rhe ETCs explicitly were advised that we would reject any incomplete or incorrect data, related to the information of a beneficiary and that any incomplete, deficient, or untimely tiling would result in the impossibilitv of recovering from the Universal Service Fund. However, and advising that ultimately the beneficiaries could be affected for whom the Lifeline program was established, we provided the option to PRTC/Calro, Tracfone, and AT&T, the ETCs that tiled data on time but incomplete, if accepting an administrative sanction and having a grace period that would expire on MondHYl April 30, 2012 to submit the corrections. The administrative sanctions, propor1ionai; to the number or affected benc/iciarics, are listed in the following manner: • PRTC/Claro- $42,000 • Tracfonc- $J5,000 • AT&T- $200 Regarding Open Mobile, who submitted its corrections late and incomplete, it is granted until Monday, April 30, 2012 to provide the information missing, as expressed in its procedurallel1cr. The acceptance of this grace period entails the payment of an adm inistrativc sanction of $12,000, proportional to the number of beneficiaries affected. We advised Open Mobile that not exercising its option of the grace period necessarily would entail the loss of the right to recover the reimbursement of the Universal Service Fund. related to the total of registrations notified by the BOllrd, for the month of December 2011. due to the untimely presentation of the data. Sprint will not have a right to the reimbursement of those incomplete registrations of December 2011 notified by this Board, because it simply did not present any information. 'I Section 13 Sanctions, part b) states; Among the actions that could entail sanctions, without it being understood as a limitation, are the following: (I) not complying with the payment of the tax to the Universal Service Fund; Oi) falsification of the documents or providing false information when requesting the designation of eligibility or submitting the releVant information to the contribution sum to the Universal Service Fund; (iii) not providing informotion required by the Board or the Administrator related to the current Regulations; (iv) late filing or incomplete reports or any other information expressly reguired and (v) committing fraud against the Universal Service Fund and (vi) recover contributions in excess of what is paid or recover of delinquency charges. See ;Jlso Act No. 242 from October 9.2002 and Act No. 202 from December 14,2007. ICERTIFIED TRANSLArION] JRT-100 l-Sl i-OO(L) 1()1:!(H RO Page 'i of 6 'T'he ETCs will have until Mondav, April 9,2012 to notify its decision of taking the grace period, It will be understood that an ETC is not interested in exercising its option, if we do not receive the notification within this tellll , The ETC that opts not to take said tel111, will loose the right to rccov(~r the reimbursement from the Universal Service Fund, related to these registrations. An exception of the aforementioned, Open Mobile who will loose the totality of the registrations notified by the Board ns of December 2011. We again state that the ETCs must timely and correctly fik, and that we will not think twice in revoking the designation of a company as eligible to receive money from the Universal Service Fund, or in de-certifying it to provide telecommunications services in Puerto Rico, if it stubbornly determines to continue in non compliance with the repo!is requirements. Order Pursuant to the broad primary jurisdiction on all telecommunication services, over all persons that provide these services within the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and over all persons with a direct or indirect interest in said services or companies, this Board RESOLVI;;S AND ORDEI{S: IT IS HEREBY ORDf:RED the ETCs notify their decisions on taking on the grace period to submit the cOlTections corresponding to December 2011, in or hd'o/'c Monday April 9,2012. It will be understood that an ETC is not interested in exercising its option, if we do not receive the notification within this term. If the ETC opts not to take on said tenn, it will loose the I'ight to recover the reimbursement from the Universal Service :Fund, related to these registnltions. An exception from the af()rementioned is Open Mobile who will loose the totality of th{' registrations notified by the Board as of December 2011. In case this option is accepted, the ETCs, will pay the following administrative sanction: PRTC/Claro- forty-two thousand dollars ($42,000); Tracfone- thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000); AT&T- Two hundred dollars ($200); and Open Mobile twelve thousand dollars ($12,000). IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that all eligible telecommunicntion companies must filithfully comply with Regulation 8093. The non compliance with any of the provisions will entail administmtive sanctions, as provided in Section 13 of Rt.~gulati()n 7795. In addition, eligible telecommunication companies can expose themselves to default, pursullnt to what is provided in 27 L.P.R.A. (b)(6). Provided that any party affected by this decision can file a request for reconsideration in the Clerk of the Telecommunications Regulation Board, within the first twenty (20) days beginning nl1 the filing in the record or the notification of this Order. The petitioner must sent a copy of said document, by mai I, to the parties that have intervened in the proceedings. fhc Teiccommunications Regulation Board of Pue!io Rico, within fifteen (15) days or having been fi led said motion fix reconsiderat ion must consider it. I f it rejects it on the outset or does not act within fifteen (15) days, the term of thirty (30) days to request a judicial review will be begin to run again form the time said rejection is notified or from the moment the fifteen (15) days [CERTIFIED TRANSLATION) IRT-2001-SII_{)()(H 20120·1 IW Page 6 of () expire, as the case may be. If any determ ination is made in its consideration, the term to request a review will begin, from the date a copy of the notification of the resolution of the Board definitely ruling on the motion is filed in the record. The prior resolution must be issued and filed in the record, within ninety (90) days after the filing of the motion for reconsideration. If the Board doc~ not take any action regarding the motion for reconsideration, within the ninety (90) days of having been filed a motion accepted for resolution, it will loose jurisdiction on it and the term to request a review will begin from the expiration of said ninety (90) day term, extension of the term to resolve, for a period that \vill not exceed thilty (30) additional days. If they opt not to request a reconsideration, or if it is adverse, the party adversely affected could file a motion for revision before the Federal District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, within (30) days beginning on the date of the filing in the record. of the copy of the notification oj'the order and final resolution of the Board. The party will notify the filing of the request for revision to the Board, and all the parties, within the term to request said revision. The notification can bc made by mail. To be NOTIFIED thc instant Resolution and Order to the eligible telecommunication companies: Puerto Rico Telephone Company, Inc. Walter Arroyo, Esq., PO Box 360998, San Juan. PR 00936-0998; 'r-Mobile Puerto Rico LLC, Liza Rios-Morales, Esq., 654 Munoz Rivera Ave, Suite 2000, San Juan, PR 00918; SprintCom, Inc. aka Sprint PCS.Miguel J. Rudrigu0z MarxuClch, Esq.: POBox 16636, San Juan, PR 00908-6636; AT&T Mobility Puerto Rico. Inc, Rebecca Guenios, Esq., PO Box 192830, San Juan, PR 00919-2830; PR Wireless, Inc. aka Open Mobile, Javier Lamoso, Esq. PO Box 71569, San Juan, PR 00936-8669; WorldNct Telecommunications, Inc. Vanessa Santo Domingo Cruz, Esq., PO Box 3365, Guaynabo, PR 00970-3365; Mr. David Bogaty, Centro Inlernacional de Mercadeo, 90 Rd. 165, Suite 20 I, Guaynabo, PH 00968-8059; Tracfone Wircless. Inc., Edwin Quii'iones, Esq., PO Box 19417, San Juan, PR 009]0; '["elrite aka Life Wireless, Roberto L. Prats Palerm, Esq., American Airlines Building. 1509 Lopez Landron, 10 Floor. San Juan, PR 00911; Absolutc Mobile, Inc .. Mr. Christopher Peltier, PO Box 8300 10, (kala, FL 34483-00 I 0: TcrraCom, Inc., Jessica Hernandel Si0rra. Esq., Goldman Antonetti & Cordova, PSC. PO Box 70364, San Juan, pr~ 00936-8364. . /~;(lN;;~'" As agreed by the Board on April 2,20 12. ?f(:';;--"'~<~~~\ fi (r(r\- .. ---~)?, I '~ t_~ ____ ,·I) "', CERTIFICATION \~;'~;\1~2~~.» " I CERTI FY that the instant document is a true and exact copy of the Resolul ion and Ordcr approved by thc Board on April 2. 2012. In addition I CERTIFY that today April 2. 2012, I have issued a copy of the instant Resolution and Order to the pcll1ies indicatcd in the to be Notified and I have filed it in its records. W flEREr:OlU::, I sign the instant document in San Juan, Puerto Rico, today. April 2. 2010. lsi gnseQl[i QIl!Jl)_,.l\:l(2!ltes_QltQfJ!."!.ir.li, CIORAH .I. MON'fES GILORMINI Clerk of the Boar 1~'I;~\lrl:)I~ I:A~~~::~~'~:~::)~~~:II~()~:~::~~~~~:- Juan, '~~::"10nal In\t':~:"-l ~ Iran,lalOi. certified by Ihe Adnllni$tratiw Ullie,' or the Ul1Ilcd St.t", <. ' IN RE: CASO NOM.: JRT·200I·SU·OOO3 FONDO DE SERVICIO UNIVERSAL LIFELINE! LINK UP RESOLUCION Y ORDEN La presente Reso/ucion y Ordell reitera la obligacion de las compaiiias de lelecomunicaciones elegibles (CTEs) de cumplir eslrictamente con los requisitos de infomles impuestos en el Reg/umelllo Numero 8093, Enmiendas Provisiona/es a/ Reg/amelilD sabre Servicio Ulliversal (Reglamenlo 8093) e impone muhas por el incumplimienlo con estos requisitos. Trasfondo Como es de conocimiento para todas las CTEs, esta Junta ha emitido divers as 6rdenes. relacionadas con el programa Lifeline en Puerto Rico. de manera que podamos cumplir con nuestra funcion ministerial de fiscalizar los recursos que salen del FOlldo de Servido Universal de Puerto Rico.' Lo anterior para alacar el problema de beneficiarios duplicados y triplicados.2 La gravedad de la anterior situacion es tal que movi6 al Gobemador de Puerto Rico. Honorable Luis G. Fortuiio Burset, a cel1ificar un estado de emergencia en el programa Lifeline, el 20 de octubre de 2011. de forma que las Enmielldas Prol'isionales al Reglamellla sabre Servicio Universal tuvieran una aplicacion inmediata. al amparo de la Seccion 2.13 de la Ley de Procedimienl0 Adminislralivo Ulli/orme, 3 L.P.R.A. § 2133.3 1 Mediante la Ley Num. 213 de 12 de sc:pliembre de 1!l96. segun enmendad •. 27 l.P.R.A. § 265 el seq (Ley 213). se cre6 la Junia Reglamenladora de Telecomunieaciones de Puel10 Rico (Junia) y expresameme "" Ie eneargO. en cuanlO a servido universal: I) reconoeer el :;ervieio de lelecomunicaciones como uno cuya pre'laCion persigue un fin de allo inlefc, publico, demro de un mcrcado competitivo; 2) a:;cgurar quo: se prove. el servicio unive",al a un COSiO juslo. razonable y asequible para lodos los ciudadanos; 3) repartir de forma equilaliv. enlIe ladas las compailias de lelecomunicaciones las obligacioncs. responsabilidades y cargas adscrilaS al desarrollo y preservadon del servicio universal; 4) eslllblecer mecanisrnos de apoyo especifieos. predecibles y suficientes para preservar y desarroUar el servieio universal; 5) dar aeeeso a ".rvidos de !elecomunicaeiones. razonablemenle comparables a los provislos en areas urbanas. a los consumidores en loda la Isla. incluyendo a los de bajos ingresos y los que residen en areas rurales 0 en areas en que :;ea COSIOSO el aceeso a IlIles servieio •• verificando que eslOs serviejo. esuin disponibles en lodo Puerto Rico, a prccios juslos y razonables. 27 L.P.R.A. § 265. , Al observar delalladamenle la informacion. nos percalarnos que en algunas inslancias. dos 0 Ire. beneficios han sido regislrados bajo una misma direceiQn 0 un mismo numero de segura social. &!a irregularidad en la pre'llIci6n y obtenei6n del subsidio. se Ie ha denominado como duplicados y/o lIiplicados y. en ultima inslancia. 10 que reOeja es que se estan benefieiando personas inelegibles. por fraude y por una posible negligetlcia de las compailias de lelecomunieaciones. quiene. han provi.lo elegibilidad a personas en conlIa de I. Ley y la reglamenlaeion aplicabl •. ) Varias cr& habian eomparecido al Tribunal de Apeladones (en los casas: KLRA 2011·0776; KLRA 2011· 0780; KLRA 201 (-{)!lOO;.KL.RA 2011· 0905; KLRA 2011· 0906; KLRA 2011-01104; KLRA 2011·01107; KLRA 201/·01111; KLRA, 2011-01113 y KLRA 2011-(1118) para impugnar I. validez de dos (2) Reso/udol/es y Ordelles de la Junta. La primera Resolucion y Orden de 27 de enero de 20 II. inieio Unos procesos de fiscalizaciOn y audilOria de lodas las CTEs. segun 10 dispueslo en la Secci6n 14.1 (e) del Reglamenlo 7795 para verifiear el cumplimienlo con la aplkaci6n de los requisililOs iniciales de elegibilidad. la posterior verificaci6n anual de los beneflciarios a los programas de Ufelille y Ullk·Up. y las pr;\clicas de retenei6n de documenlos. segwlda Reso/ucion y Orden de 13 de julio de 2011 conerelizt} reglas ya eXislenies. por virtud de nueslIo JRT·ZOOI·SU-OOOJ lOlZo+.liRd Flip... Z de 6 Las CTEs siguen incumpliendo con su obligacion de radicar y/o radicar los informes de la forma y manera ordenada. Reileramos que la Secci6n 14.10 de las Enmielldas Provisiollales 01 Reg/amento sobre Servicio Universal, dispone: 14.10 Inrormes del Servicio Lifeline a) Las compafifas designadas ETC deberan mantener a la JUllla informada del numero de usuarios suscrilos al servicio Lifeline, 10 que realizan'in de conformidad COli las Ordelles Administralivas que esta Junia, de tiempo en liempo emita. ell las que la Junta idenlificara el contenido de la informacion a ser somelida, la periodicidad de la misma. y cualesquiera olros delalles que esla Junia estime pertinenle. Provisionalmente, a menos que la Junia medianle Orden Adminislrativa los modifique. los requisitos de datos son: • La Iista de beneficiarios del programa se presenlara ante In Junia, ulilizando cualquiera de los siguientes medios eleclr6nicos: CD 0 DVD. La Iisla conlendnl In informacion en formalo de lexlo delimitado por "labs" ("tab delimiled") y "encoding" ANSI • EI nombre del archivo eSlara compueslode los siguientes dalos: 1. numero de ETC de la Junia en formalo ####; seguido de 2. periodo de los dalos en formalo yyyymm (ano y mes); seguido de 3. version en formato ##; seguido de 4. la extension" .Ixl" Ejemplo: ()() 1520 /1 090 1.lxt • Cuando dos compaiifas u operaciones compartan un mismo numero de ETC. In Junta asignara un distinlivo para diferenciar la informacion conlenida. • EI orden y el nombre de los campos de la informacion denlro del archivo sera sin excepcion el siguiente: Campo TflItUJiio Tipo Seguro Social 9 Char Nombre Hasto: 15 Char Primer Ape/lido Hasto: 15 Char Segundo Ape/lJdo Hasto: 15 Char Direccion 1 HasJa 70 Char Direccion 2 Hasto: 70 Char CiruJadlPueblo Hasto: 20 Char ZipCode 9 (sin gui6n) Char Fecha de Suscripcion 8 , Cllt~r (AiioIMes/Dia) YYYYMMDD CodigodeContro/ 9 Char Los campos "Direccion I", "Direccion 2", "CilldadiPueblo" y "ZipCode" serlin exclusivamenle la direccion rlSica del beneficlario. la cenificacion de emergencia del Gobernador y decrelo que el Reglamenlo 8093 lendrfa una aplicaci6n inmediata. al amparo de la Seccion 2.13 de la LPAU. 3l.P.R.A. § 2133. JKT·ZOOloSU-oooJ lOI:w.l~RO P~lde6 b) Se advierte que la Junta s610 aceptani un CD 0 DVD por cada compania u operaci6n. Asimismo. advertimos que la Junta procedeni a devolver eI CD o DVD si no se conforma a 10 antes requerido. c) Ademas. las ETCs someteran un infonne anual. no mas tarde del 31 de marzo de cada ano. identificando el numero total de c1ientes suscritos al Programa Lifeline. en el ano natural anterior. d) La .Junta rechazani todo aguel reglstro gue este Incompleto, incorh!cto 0 que no cumpla con los reguerimientos de formato antes establecidos, para lograr la confiabllidad de la Informacion que poblani la base de datos unirorme de la Junta. e) La Junta identificani aguella informacion de un beneficiario gue este incomplet8. Incorrecta 0 gue no cum pia con los reguerimientos de formata antes establecidos. V se 10 notincar' a la respectlva ETC para que la mlsma sea obtenida. en un plazo que no exce4erQ de treinta (30) dlas, a partir de dicba nutilisaciOn. De la Calta de Informacion no ser subsanada dentro de dlcho termino, el beneficio por dicho cllente sera termlnado Inmedlatamente. No obstante 10 antes enfatizado. Puerto Rico Telephone Company. Illc. (PRT). y su operacion inahimbrica Claro. Trac/one Wireless. Inc. (Tracfone) y AT&T Mobility Puerto Rico. Inc. (AT&T) sometieron sus CDs de correcciones para el mes de diciembre 2011 con datos incompletos e incorreclos. nuevamente. PR Wireless. Illc. h/nle Open Mobile (Open Mobile) presenlo su CD de correcciones del mismo periodo. de forma lardia e incomplela. SprintCom. Inc. /IIlIIc Sprilll PCS simplemenle no present6 sus correcciones. Discusion La Seceion J3 del ReglulI/emo sobre Servicio Universal. Regiumellio NUll/era 7795 (Reglamento 7795) y nuestras Ordelles de 27 de enero. 13 de julio de 2011 y 24 de enero de 2012 nOlificaban indubiladamenle que el incumplimiento con las obligaeiones de radiear y/o radiear correcla y complelamente con lie varia sanciones adminlstrativas. de conformidad con la Seccion 13 c) del Regiumelllo 7795. entre las cuales eslan, sin que se entienda como una Iimitacion: (i) revocaeion de la certificaei6n para preslar servicios de telecomunicaciones en Puerto Rico; (ii) revocacion de la designacion de elegibilidad; e (iii) imposici6n de muhas y penalidades diarias de:hasta veinticinco mil d61ares por violaci6n, segun dispuesto en el Articulo 11-7 de la I1(NJm. 213 de 12 de septiembre de 1996, segun enmendada, 27 L.P.R.A. § 267f (b) (I). Explicitamente las CTEs fueron advertidas que rechazariamos todo aguel dato incompleto 0 incorrecto. asociado a la inrormacion de un beneficlario, desembocando en que cualguier radicacion incompleta, deficiente 0 en destiempo resultaria en la imposibilidad del recobro del Fondo de Servicro Universal. Sin embargo. y advirtiendo que en ultima instancia se podran tenninar por afectar los benefieiarios para quienes fue instaurado el programa Lifeline. Ie brindamos la opci6n a PRTC/Claro. True/one y AT&T, las CTEs que presentaron sus dato's a tiempo pero incomplelos. de acogerse a una sancion administrativa y tener un plazo de gracia que venceni ellunes 30 de abril de 2012 para someter las correcciones. • La Secci6n 13 SaJltiones. inciso b) dispone: Entre las acciones que pueden conllevar sanciones. sin que se entienda como una Iimitaci6n. se encuentran las siguientes: (i) incumplir con el pago de la cODtribuci6n al Fondo de Servicio Universal; (ii) falsificaci6n de los docurIk!nlos 0 suministrat informaci6n falsa al solicitar la designaci6n de elegibilidad 0 al somerer la informacion relaliva al monto de la aportaci6n al Fondo del Scrvicio Universal; (iii) 00 suministrat informaci6n requerida por la Junta 0 el Administrador relacionada al presenre Reglamento; (iv) flIdigciOn lard'" 0 incamplel!! de informes u al£! jnronnaci6" expresamen1e requerida y (v) comerer fraude contra el Fondo de Servicio Universal y (vi) recobro de aportaciones en eXceso de 10 pagado 0 recobro de cargos por mora. Wase lambien la uy Num. 242 de 9deoctubre de 2002 y 13 uy Num. 202 de 14 de diciembre de 20(17. JRT·1OOloSu.oooJ lOU(NCl KO P1igl..;4 de, .• Las sanciones administrativas, proporcionales al numero de beneficiarios afectados. se desglosan de la siguiente manera: • PRTCI Claro· $42.000 • Tracfone- $35.000 • AT&T-$200 En cuanto a Open Mobile, quien someti6 sus correcciones tardia e incompletamente. se Ie concede hasta el IUDes 30 de abril de 2012 para proveer 1a informaci6n que Calta. segtin expresado en su propia carta !Mite. La aceptaci6n de este perfodo de gracia conlleva el pago de una sanci6n administrativa de $12,000, proporcional al numero de beneficiarios afectados. Advertimos a Open Mobile que el no ejercer su opci6n de acogerse 01 periodo de gracia necesariamente conJlevani la perdlda del derecho a recobr&r eI reembolso del Fondo de Servido Univenal. asocIado al total de !os registros notlficados por la Junta. para el mes de dlclembre de lOll. debldo a la presentacl6n a destlemOO de la data. Sprint no temlr.i derecho al reembolso de aquellos registros incompletos del mes de diciembre del 2011 notificados por esta Junta. porque simplemente no present6 ninguna informaci6n. La CTEs tendr:! hasta el lunes 9 de abril de 2012 para notificar su decisi6n de acogerse al periodo de gracia. Se entendeni que una ern no interesa ejercer su opci6n, si no recibimos la notificaci60 dentro de este plaza. De la ern optar por no acogerse al referido plazo, perdera el derecho a recobrar el reembolso del Fondo de Servido Universal. &sociado a stos registros. Se exceprua de 10 antes expresado, Open Mobile quien perderi la totalidad de los registros notlficados por la Junta para el mes de dlciembre de 2011. Volvemos a dar constancia que las crEs deben radicar opol1una y correctamente. y que no vacilaremos en revocar la designaci6n de una companfa como e1egible para recibir dinero del Fondo de Servicio Ulliversal ni en de-cel1ificarla para prestar servicios de telecomunicaciones en Puerto Rico, si obstinadamente determina seguir incumpliendo con los requisitos de informes. Orden A tenor con la amplia jurisdicci6n primaria sobre todos los servicios de telecomunicaciones. sobre todas las personas que rindan estos servicios dentro del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico y sobre toda persona con un interes directo 0 indirecto en dichos servicios 0 compaiiias. esta Junta RESUEL VE Y ORDENA: SE ORDENA a los CTEs notificar su decision de acogerse aI periodo de gracio para someler los co"ecciones co"espondienles aI mes de diciembre cd~ 2011, en 0 anles del lunes 9 de abril de 2012. 'Se'" entender4 que una CTE no inlerem ejercer su opcion, si no recibimos 10 notiftcacion dentro de esle plazo. De 10 CTE opuv por no acogene oJ re/erido ploto, perdera el derecho a recobrar el reembolso del Fondo de Servicio Universal, asociado a estos regislros. Se exceptua de 10 antes expresado, Open Mobile quien perder4 Ia totaiUlad de los registros notiftcados por 10 Junta para el mes de diciembre de 2011. En caso de acogerse a esta opcwn, los CTEs pagaran 10 siguienle sancion administrativa: PRTC/Cloro - cuarenta y d6s mil dolores ($42,000); Trac/one • treinta y cinco mil dolores ($35,000); AT&T - doscientos dolores ($200); J Open Mobile - doce mil dolores ($12,000). SE ORDENA a todas los companUls de telecomunicaciones elegibles a cumplir ftelmente con el JR"r·lOOI·S!.H/OOJ 1OIlO4Jlt..RO pqu..Sdc6 Reglolllellio 8093. El inculllplillliellio COli cuulquieru de sus disposiciones COlllle~ard soncionefll admini~1rativas, segun dispuesUls en 10 Seccwn 13 del Reglmnento 7795. Ademas, las cOlllpaiiias de telecolllunicaciones elegibles pueden exponerse a un desacato, de conformidad con 10 di~puesto en 27 LP.R.A. § 267f(b)(6). Disponiendose que cualquier parte afectada por esta decision podra fonnular y radicar una solicitud de reconsideracion en la Secretaria de esla Junta Reglamentadora de Telecomunicaciones, denteo de los primeros veinte (20) dias contados a partir del archivo en autos de la notificacion de esta Orden. EI solicitante debeni enviar copia de tal escrito, por correo. a las partes que hayan intervenido en los procedimientos. La Junta Reglamentadora de Telecomunicaciones de Puerto Rico, dentro de los quince (15) dias de haberse presentado dicha mocion de reconsideracion debera considerarla. Si la rechazare de plano 0 no actuare dentro de los quince (15) dias, eltennino de teeinla (30) dias para solicitar revision judicial comenzara a correr nuevamente desde que se notifique dicha denegatorill 0 desde que expiren esos quince (15) dias, segiln sea el caso. Si se tomare Illgunll detenninacion en su considerllcion, el termino para solicitar revision empezara a contarse, desde la fecha en que se archiva en autos una copia de la notificacion de la resolucion de la Junta resolviendo defmitivamente la mocion. La anterior resoluci6n debera ser emitida y archivada en autos, de~tio de los noventa (90) dias siguientes a la radicacion de la moci6n de reconsideracion. Si la Junta dejare de tomar alguna acci6n con relaci6n a la mocion de reconsideracion, dente~ de los novenla (90) dias de haber sido radicada una mocion acogida para resolucion, perdera jurisdiccion sobre la misrna y el tennino para solicitar la revisi6n empezara a comarse, a partir de la expiraci6n de dicho tennino de noventa (90) dias, salvo que la agencia. por justa causa y dente~ de esos noventa (90) deas, prorrogue eltennino para resolver, por un pecfodo que no excedera de teeinta (30) dlas adicionales. Si optara por no solicitar la reconsideracion, 0 si la misma Ie es adversa, la parte adversameme afectada podnl presentar una solicitud de revision ante la Corte de Distrito Federal para el Distrito de Puerto Rico, dentro de (30) dlas contados a partir de la fecha de archivo en autos, de la copia de la notificacion de la orden 0 resolucion final de la Junta. La parte notificnra la presentacion de la solicitud de revision a la Junta. y a todas las partes, dentro del tennino para solicitar dicha revision. La notificaci6n podra hacerse por correo. NOTlFiQUESE la presente Resolucion y Orden a las compafiias de telecomunicaciones elegibles: Puerto Rico Telephone Company, Inc., Lcdo. Walter Arroyo, PO Box 360998, San 1uan, PR 00936-0998; T-Mobile Puerto Rico LLC, Lcda. Liza Rios-Morales, 654 Ave. Munoz Rivera, Suite 2000, San Juan, PR 00918; SprintCom, Inc. blnlc Sprint PCS, Lcdo. Miguel J. Rodrfguez Marxuach; PO Box 16636, San Juan, PR 00908-6636: AT&T Mobility Puerto Rico, Inc., Lcda. Rebecca Guerrios, PO Box 192830. San Juan. PR 00919-2830; PR Wireless, Inc. blnlc Open Mobile, Lcdo. Javier Lamoso, PO Box 71569, San Juan, PR 00936-8669; WorldNet Telecommunications, Inc., Lcda. Vanessa Santo Domingo Cruz, PO Box 3365. Guaynabo, PR 00970-3365; Sr. David Bogaty. Centro lnternacional de Mercadeo, 90 Carretera 165, Suite 201, Guaynabo, PR 00968-8059; Tracfone Wireless, Inc., Lcdo. Edwin Quinones, PO Box 19417, San Juan, PR 00910; Telrite blnlc Life Wireless, Lcdo. Roberto L. Prats Palerm, American Airlines Building, 1509 lOpez Landr6n, 10 Floor, San Juan, PR 00911; Absolute Mobile, Inc .• Sr. Christopher Peltier, PO Box 830010, Ocala. FL 34483-0010; TerraCom, Inc., Lcda. Jessica Hernandez Sierra, Goldman Antonetti & C6rdova. PSC. PO Box 70364, San Juan, PR 00936-8364. Asiioacord61aJuntaeiLde Ohr'r/ de 2012. ______Excusada. ____ _ Nixyvette Santini Hernandez Miembro Asociado JRT.1OOI·SU,ooo'J 101104t2.f RO Pigina 6 cit 6. CERTIFICACI6N CERTIFICO que la presenle es copia fiel y exacla de la Resolucion y Orden aprobada por la Junta • .L de (; bl'! / de 2012. CERTIFICO. ademas. que hoy L de (I Un I de 2012. he remitido copia de la presente Resolucion y Orden a las partes indicadas en el NOliflquese y he procedido al archivo en autos de la misma. Y PARA QUE Asf CONSTE. firmo la presente en San Jllan. Puerto Rico. hoy Z de () hi I I de 2012. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I, Raymond Lee, a Legal Secretary with the law firm of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, hereby certify that on April 10, 2012, a true and correct copy of the foregoing Request for Clarification and Declaratory Relief of TracFone Wireless, Inc. was sent via electronic mail and overnight delivery to the following unless stated otherwise: Sandra E. Torres-Lopez President Puerto Rico Telecommunications Regulatory Board 500 Ave. Roberto H. Todd (Pda. 18-Santurce) San Juan, PR 00907-3981 [email protected] Gloria Escudero Morales Associate Member Puerto Rico Telecommunications Regulatory Board 500 Ave. Roberto H. Todd (Pda. 18-Santurce) San Juan, PR 00907-3981 [email protected] Nixyvette Santini Hernandez Associate Member Puerto Rico Telecommunications Regulatory Board 500 Ave. Roberto H. Todd (Pda. 18-Santurce) San Juan, PR 00907-3981 [email protected] Alexandra Fernandez-Navarro Director of Legal Division Puerto Rico Telecommunications Regulatory Board 500 Ave. Roberto H. Todd (Pda. 18-Santurce) San Juan, PR 00907-3981 [email protected] Raymond Lee